Reflection from Fr. Joseph

The writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible seems quite depressed. Perhaps most people know that book through the famous Byrds song “Turn, Turn, Turn” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVOJla2vYx8) but the book itself is far more despairing of the human condition. Consider this opening of the book:

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,

   vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!

What profit have we from all the toil

   which we toil at under the sun?

One generation departs and another generation comes,

   but the world forever stays.

The sun rises and the sun sets;

   then it presses on to the place where it rises.

Shifting south, then north,

   back and forth shifts the wind, constantly shifting its course.

All rivers flow to the sea,

   yet never does the sea become full.

To the place where they flow,

   the rivers continue to flow.

All things are wearisome,

   too wearisome for words.

The eye is not satisfied by seeing

   nor has the ear enough of hearing.

What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun!

Indeed, it does look like time is cyclical, even meaningless. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously quipped, You can never step into the same river twice, because all is constant change, a cycle that we are trapped in but can never break free.

But there is a way out of the seemingly-endless cycles of nature and life. And that is to take the cycle and go deeper. Life is not a circle; it is a corkscrew. It goes around and around, but also hopefully goes deeper with each passing year.

I was thinking of this in reference to two things this past week. One, of course, is the beginning of a new Spring (my favorite season!). Yet another season passes – but it’s not meaningless if I am able to more deeply appreciate, enjoy, and learn from the passing season. Recently someone said to me, “Just think – I only have 40 more Christmases!” It was a sobering thought – how many more Springs will we get to enjoy? Rather than feeling drudgery at the return of the cycle of seasons (and the cycle of life), we ought to feel grateful that we get to experience it again and again, going deeper each time into the mystery of the rhythms of life.

But the other thing on my mind is Easter. It’s a bit mind-boggling to consider that there have been less than 2,000 Easters in history – and we get to celebrate another one in a few weeks. But rather than this being an exact carbon-copy of last Easter (and the fifty Easters before it), will we be “going deeper” into the mystery of what Christ did for us in His death and Resurrection?

How can we dive into the Paschal Mystery (Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection)? The best way is to attend all three Triduum Liturgies. Triduum, meaning “Three Days”, are the Holy Thursday Mass, Good Friday Service of the Lord’s Passion, and Easter Vigil. I believe wholeheartedly that you cannot understand Christianity unless you participate in the Triduum. They are Masses unlike any other.

At Holy Thursday, we wash the feet of parishioners to symbolize what Christ did for His Apostles. At Good Friday, we kiss a cross to recall Christ’s sacrifice. At Easter Vigil, we begin with a bonfire and a darkened church, lit only by candles. If you want to have a rich Easter where you can truly enter into the mystery, please come to the Triduum – it will absolutely change the way you see your faith.

It is a real gift that we have solid, unchanging, cyclical “touchstones” such as seasons and feasts. Without them, we would feel adrift in the modern world. Perhaps this is why so many people who have jettisoned religion and live in a digital world feel ungrounded, aimless, lost. Once I attended a Walk For the Cure walk-a-thon at a local park with my pastor. They had a beautiful ceremony where they lit luminaries and had music playing with pictures of those who are fighting cancer battles projected onto a screen. My pastor turned to me and said, wisely, “See how the human heart needs rituals!”

Rather than the meaninglessness that the author of Ecclesiastes writes about, the cycles of nature – and the cycles of the Feast Days of our Catholic Faith – are the solid rhythms upon which we build our lives. We fast and we feast; we rejoice and we repent; we remember and we look forward. Every year we have the opportunity to deepen our understanding of – and participation in – the mysteries of the coming Feasts. Will you prepare your heart for a rich Easter by engaging in the Triduum liturgies this year?

Confession Times for Holy Week

Palm Sunday (March 23/24) - Confessions before and after all Masses

Confession Monday (March 25) - Confessions from 3-9pm at St. Lawrence in Shelton and St. Catherine's in Trumbull

Good Friday (March 29) - Confessions from 1-2:15pm at St. Jude's

Holy Saturday (March 30) - Confessions from 3:30-4:30pm at St. Jude's

Please take advantage of this wonderful sacrament to cleanse your soul before the holy feast of Easter!

Palm Cross Pick Up after all Masses this Weekend in the Social Hall

Diocesan Confession Monday Update

PLEASE NOTE:

THE DIOCESAN CONFESSION MONDAY CHURCHES

LISTED IN OUR MARCH CALENDAR ARE INCORRECT

IT SHOULD READ:

CONFESSION MONDAY 

MARCH 25

3 – 9 PM

ST. LAWRENCE CHURCH, SHELTON

ST CATHERINE OF SIENA, TRUMBULL

Ash Wednesday and Fridays Fasting & Abstinence

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence. This means:

Fasting - All Catholics ages 18-59 are obligated to have only one meal (and up to two small snacks, not equaling one meal) on Fast Days.



Abstinence - All Catholics ages 14+ are obligated to abstain from meat on every Friday during Lent. Fish is allowed.

Remember why we fast and abstain - by doing some sort of penance, we unite ourselves to Our Lord Who sacrificed everything for love of us.



Stations of the Cross Schedule

March 22 - 7pm, followed by silent Adoration until 8:30pm

March 29 - Living Stations of the Cross at 7:30pm

SENIORS: If you no longer drive or do not drive at night and would like to attend, please contact Betty Henn, 203-261-0762 or ehennsr@gmail.com to arrange for a ride.

Parish News

Camp Veritas Catholic Summer Camp!



It's time to start signing up for Camp Veritas Catholic Summer Camp! Each year we get a group to go to the best week of sleep-away camp you will ever experience. Camp Veritas (www.campveritas.org) combines sports, swimming, boating, zip-lines, go-karts, and all the fun camp activities with daily Mass, Rosary, Adoration, spiritual talks, and a powerful encounter with Jesus. Every single kid who went last year had a blast and we hope to double attendance this year! We are offering a special scholarship for kids who are part of Youth Encounter - $300 off! Sign-up online and experience the fun!

Living Stations of the Cross

Join us at 7:30 p.m. on Good Friday for St Jude’s 32nd presentation of the Living Stations of the Cross, presented for the second year in a row entirely by the parish youth.

More than two dozen young people will lead us in this deeply moving and prayerful devotion that has a tradition in our parish stretching back more than three decades.  

OUTDOOR STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Good Friday

March 29^th

10 A.M.

Hosted By The Knights of Columbus

Divine Mercy Sunday is the first Sunday after Easter, the greatest day of grace of the year. Official Church teaching states that those who worthily receive the Eucharist with trust in God's mercy on this day and are merciful to others will obtain COMPLETE forgiveness of all sin and punishment. It is likened to a second baptism! On this day, ask the Lord with trust for blessings, healings, reconciliations, etc.



Jesus promises, "On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet."

Go to MercySundayMomentum.org to join the momentum, get inspiration, and help others discover the gift of Divine Mercy Sunday! See below for our parish Novena and Divine Mercy Sunday schedule!

NOTE: This year's Divine Holy Hour will be Saturday at 3 pm instead of Sunday at 3 pm.

Family News and Updates

All parishioners and families are invited to join our family Divine Mercy celebration! We will be praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet together after 11:30 Mass and then head down to the social hall for hospitality.

Crafts and coloring will be available for the children.

To RSVP or if you would like to donate an item to bring, sign up below!

CAMP ADORE REGISTRATION

SPACE IS FILLING QUICKLY, REGISTER NOW!

Camp Adore 2024 

June 17-21 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

For children entering Grades 1-6

E-mail Jessica if you are an adult or teen interested in volunteering

Join us in praying a novena to our Camp Patron Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati! His birthday novena is March 28 - April 6. Click here for novena prayers or pick up a copy at the Family MInistry Table in the church foyer.

Upcoming Family Ministry Events!

April 7, 12:30 pm: Divine Mercy Family Event RSVP here

May 5, 2:30 pm: 2nd Annual Bingo with the Sisters of Nazareth RSVP to Jessica

May 31, 6:00 pm: Women's Craft Night - Making Wooden Wall Rosary Holders. Sign up here

Youth Encounters

All of our young people grades 6-12 are invited to join us for our Youth Encounters! These nights of games, food, fun, prayer, fellowship, and honest conversation about our Catholic Faith have been awesome...come and join us for a new year! This year for the first time, we'll be having separate tracks for high school and middle school. 7-9 pm at St. Jude Social Hall.

Please click on the image to view the flyer.

Mom's Group Announcements

INVITING ALL PARENTS (mothers and fathers) to our 2024 weekly Zoom Rosaries on the First Wednesdays at 9 pm. Please email Jessica Iannotta for more information. To submit prayer intentions for our monthly Rosaries, click here.

Next Mom's Group meeting Thursday April 25 at 7:30 pm in the social hall. New members are always welcome!

Knights of Columbus News

Hopeline Pregnancy Center has a need for disposable diapers. They are currently low on size newborn and wipes, as well as bottles and pacifiers.Should you wish to help you can leave the diapers in the outer vestibule of the church. Monetary donations, with checks made out to the Hopeline Pregnancy Center, as well as gift cards from Amazon, Target and grocery stores are most welcome. As always, your continued support is greatly appreciated by Hopeline and our Knights of Columbus Council.

A message from Hopeline:

In 2023 we administered 807 free pregnancy tests. Of the positive tests, 97.1% of those women chose LIFE for their unborn children.

Thank you for all the ways you support Hopeline and the unborn! Your prayers are coveted, and your gifts are cherished.

Food Pantry Update

A change in weather brings about changes in our weekly requirement. We are currently in need of: pasta sides, tuna, coffee, and snack foods. As always, boxed children's cereal is appreciated. 

St. Stephen Bereavement Support Group

For anyone grieving a loss, St. Stephen Church, Trumbull is offering a 10 week support group starting on Tuesday, March 12 from 2:30-4:00. Registration is required. Call rectory at 203-268-7217.

Please remember in your daily prayers:

David Nicolett, Maria Bertone, Vincent Daniello, Joe Pinto, Zoey Frigo, Daniel Louis Bianco, Max, Hung Vu, Alfred Zawadski, Dr. John Kezel, Francisca Testa & family, Catherine Belanger, Manny Cambra, Cambra, Bennett Gulyas, Tom Pleva, James Buturla, John Sansone, Paul Verespej, Patti F. , Anne DeVita, Anna Harper, Jack Lane, Robert Freeman, Frank Kerekes, Marian Nanchy, Antonia Tedeschi, Mary McDonald, Douglas Stanley, Jenn Katz, Judy Thomas, Barbara Tranchese, Mary Lopresti, Lou DiMartino, Lor C., Viola Cleo Bradshaw, Susan W. and Janet C, Larry Pisani, Vincent Pisani, Greg, Kaiti and Cameron Kessler, Michael Merola & Family, Martha Mencseli, Mildred Blasko, Father Krzysztof, and Baby Henry Taylor, Garren Kiett, Becky M., Flo Guite, Michael J. Russell, Mary Ann Voytek, Michael, and Donna, Evan Tedesco



All healthcare workers, first responders, caregivers and the men and women in the military.

If you have anyone that you would like to add to the list, please call the office or email with the name to be added.

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention.

Our Intention for March is:  

For each expectant mother considering abortion, may the Lord give her the grace and support to chose life for her child...

   We pray to the Lord 

Mass Intentions for  March 23 – March 31

Sat    Mar 23       4:30pm       Jose Rosa

Sun  Mar 24       7:30am       St Jude Parishioners

Sun   Mar 24       9:30am       Anne McCabe

Sun  Mar 24       11:30am     Maria Emila Monteiro

Mon  Mar 25       9:00am       Margaret Tranzillo

Tue   Mar 26       9:00am       Margaret Tranzillo

Wed  Mar 27       9:00am      Victoria Babyak   

Thu   Mar 28       7:30pm      Thomas Falcone

Sat    Mar 30       8:00pm     The Lluch Family

Sun  Mar 31       7:30am       St Jude Parishioners

Sun   Mar 31       9:30am       Ljuba Jovic and Dragica Jovic

Sun  Mar 31       11:30am     In Thanksgiving – Al and Rita Melissano

Tabernacle Candle: In memory of Angelo Magliocco during the month of March

Adoration Candles: In memory of Margaret Tranzillo during the month of March

Weekday Masses (Monday thru Thursday) will be in the main Church at 9 am and live streamed.

The Weekend Masses inside the Church are Saturday at 4:30 pm and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30. Only the Saturday Mass at 4:30 pm and the Sunday 7:30 am and 9:30 Masses are live streamed.

(Live-streamed Masses may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses ) Please note that the link is slightly changed from the previous link due to the change in the website.

Men’s Bible Study

The Men’s Bible Study will meet Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM, in the school building. Each week we will take up the readings for that weekend. All men of the parish are welcome. For more information, contact Bob Lux at mjrob08@gmail.com.

Saturday Rosary Sign up.

We have a wonderful way to prepare for Saturday Mass and that is to say the Rosary before Mass starts. We start 30 minutes before Mass so we start at 4:00 every Saturday.

Please join us as we pray. Also, please prayerfully consider joining this ministry.

If you would like to join you can sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aa8ad2fa6fccf8-saturday#/

We look forward to you joining us as we pray the Rosary together.

First Friday

Eucharistic Adoration

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Matthew 11:28-30



The time that we spend with Jesus in front of the Blessed Sacrament is the best time we will spend on earth. Please join us on the first Friday of every month from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.

Mary's Messengers Prayer Group . Email Jessica for more information

We learn to say the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and other special prayers for the intentions of our families and Parish.

Flame of Love Rosary

Thursday mornings after 9 am Mass

"Spread the effect of grace of thy Flame of Love over all of humanity"

flameoflove.us

St. Jude Religious Gift Shop is located downstairs in the Msgr. Sabia Social Hall. Fr. Joseph's Books and CD's are available in the Gift Shop. Also new items: Communion Gifts and cards, statues, rosaries and more.



Come in and browse. Call Fran Cambra 203-261-2573 or Parish Office 203-261-6404.

COMMUNION ITEMS ARE IN!

Call Fran Cambra for more information:

203-400-5119

Confession Hours



Confessions on Saturday afternoon will be in the day chapel at 3:30 to 4:15 pm on Saturdays. Come take advantage of God's great mercy by coming to the Sacrament of Confession.

Confessions are also by appointment, please call 203-261-6404, to set up an appointment or email the office.